Primary Wave Officially Purchases Notorious B.I.G. Catalog Stake

Weeks after reports suggested that Primary Wave was poised to take a 50% interest in the Notorious B.I.G. catalog, higher-ups have confirmed the deal.

Primary Wave disclosed the transaction on its website, directing visitors to a related Wall Street Journal piece for additional info. According to the coverage’s presumably accurate figures, the New York City-headquartered purchaser valued Biggie’s “life’s work at over $200 million” as part of the play.

While sizable, that sum is well beneath the $300 million potential valuation pinpointed closer to March’s beginning. As we noted at the time, it’s best to take price-tag rumblings with a grain of salt in the catalog arena – especially since verified pricing details have proven comparatively modest.

Primary Wave opted against diving into its exact plans for the Notorious B.I.G. IP, which reportedly extends to recordings, publishing, and NIL alike. However, the Journal mentioned a possible Biggie Broadway production and forthcoming “immersive music experiences.”

Said experiences could incorporate the late rapper’s digital avatar, per the same source. Though similar licensing efforts previously delivered far-from-ideal results for the Biggie estate as well as fans, Primary Wave’s considerable experience and reach will likely render upcoming projects more fruitful.

And on this front, Primary Wave head Larry Mestel spelled out that his company will look to do “less but larger” with the Notorious B.I.G. rights moving forward.

Keeping the focus on what we do know, Biggie’s mother, having played a key role in managing her son’s body of work, passed away one month ago at the age of 78. According to the Journal, she personally approved the Primary Wave agreement “shortly” before her death.

But others have raised red flags about the circumstances surrounding the deal, referring specifically to the Biggie estate’s alleged effort to exploit the “Big Poppa” act’s family through the sale.

Unfortunately, IP disputes, including among family members and those in charge of deceased artists’ rights, aren’t exactly rare. The marathon legal battle surrounding James Brown’s catalog comes to mind, as does the more recent catalog-sale opposition voiced by Michael Jackson’s family.

We should know sooner rather than later whether the Notorious B.I.G. song-rights selloff is ushering in a dispute. Most immediately here, T’yanna Wallace, Biggie’s daughter, describes herself on social media as the owner and CEO of both Notoriouss Clothing and Brooklyn’s Biggie Experience museum.